


Tainted Mind, Tainted Heart

by orphan_account



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Happy Ending, M/M, Tainted Mikleo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-02
Updated: 2017-08-02
Packaged: 2018-12-10 09:05:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11688441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: When Mikleo separates from Sorey in Ladylake, he follows and watches his best friend continue as the new Shepherd. Instead of returning to Sorey’s side with the Divine Artifact, Symonne finds him, antagonizing the dark thoughts in Mikleo’s mind. The seraph gives in, allowing the malevolence to consume him.





	Tainted Mind, Tainted Heart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [almosthello](https://archiveofourown.org/users/almosthello/gifts).



> This is based from almosthello (@firidus on twitter) tainted Mikleo art! I had a lot of fun delving into this, especially Mikleo's mind!  
> Please show Karin lots of love!

Mikleo left Sorey back in the Vivia Aqueduct, but the human didn't chase after him. Instead he continued forward, not looking back. He watched his best friend continue on as the new Shepherd without him. Lailah was by his side, with Alisha occasionally joining. Mikleo’s heart ached. 

“Oh?" He heard behind him, turning slightly, before his eyes returned to his best friend. 

“Who are you?” He asked after a while of the small seraph following him. 

“My name is Symonne, pleasure to meet you.” He could hear the grin in her voice. Uninterested, he ignored her, carrying on following Sorey. 

He watched as Sorey and the two women with him traveled through Lakehaven Heights, stopping at a river where the bridge had collapsed. A hellion had appeared not long after their arrival. Mikleo had to stop himself from jumping into the fight. Sorey armatized with Lailah, easily purifying the Ouroboros back into its water seraph form.

 _Oh._

Mikleo watched Sorey speaking with the seraph happily. A replacement. His heart sank, mind clouding. 

“Does it hurt?” Symonne’s voice taunt through his clouded mind. “Of course it does. To see your precious friend smile with someone other than yourself by their side. You really are useless to him.” He could hear the grin in her voice. “Just give in and accept the darkness into your heart. It will be less painful.”

His heart felt heavy in his chest. Seeing _it_ next to Sorey was making his heart ache by the second. Symonne wasn’t wrong. She was putting his feelings into words. Everything she said was spot on. He was hurting, wishing he was the one by Sorey’s side, supporting him.

Symonne leaned in closer, causing him to feel her disgusting breath against his ear, “He doesn’t love you.”

Sorey turned to _it_ , a bright smile adorning his face. That was all Mikleo needed, allowing the darkness to envelop his heart, instantly consuming his feelings.

Sorey didn't need him. Why would he? Mikleo was weak, that's why Sorey tried to leave Elysia without him, and why he didn't want him as his sub lord. They lived two different lives and it was ridiculous for Mikleo to ever think they could always be together. Why had Mikleo fallen in love with Sorey? That had been the biggest mistake. Sorey would never feel the same way about him. 

The tints of his clothing changed, causing Symonne to laugh, enjoying the show. His clothes changed to white, the once yellow and white designs turning a dark shade of blue and silver. The tails of his capes flapped behind him, changing to the same deep shade of dark blue. 

Mikleo didn't care. The malevolence was easing his pain. His feelings were sealed away, causing him to feel the detachment from any possible feelings. Symonne was right. Accepting the malevolence eased his pain, but it also encouraged him to pursuit the cause of his pain. 

“What will you do now?” Symonne asked with an amused tone. “Will you destroy the one who replaced you? Will you go to the one you love?”

“Love?” Mikleo’s voice was flat and cold. His blank eyes were still glued in the group in front of them, wondering who they were. “What is that?”

The small seraph grinned, inching closer to Mikleo. “You see that boy there? He is the one who caused you all of the dreadful pain and drove you into submitting to darkness. He never cared for you. You were nothing but an obstacle for him.”

Mikleo didn't know this boy, but he recalled the pain. He was the cause of it. 

Calling for his staff, he walked forward, watching the boy laugh with the other unimportant humans. The boy was his target. “ _Kill him_ ” his mind urged. He welcomed the idea, noticing the lack of feelings behind the thought and acceptance. He didn't care. 

There was no sense of familiarity as he approached the boy. He was a stranger, an unimportant life he was going to rid this world from. It was rather strange to intently aim to end his life, but Mikleo would only come up with the same realization. He truly didn't care. Not a single part of him cared to change his mind or goal. 

His eyes were glued on the boy, watching as his malevolence weigh him and the others down with his approach. The boy couldn't turn at first, trying to push himself back in his feet. Once he was able stand against the malevolence, his green eyes widened, face contorting into shock. 

“Mi-Mikleo?” The boy stammered, his body visibly shaking. “Is that really you?”

Was that his name? It seemed like something so unimportant to him now. 

No reply came from Mikleo. Instead, he sent an arte towards Sorey, the latter just barely dodging it. 

“Mikleo, what are you doing?” Sorey panicked, watching his best friend with wide eyes. He knew it was Mikleo, but this wasn't his Mikleo. The strange change of his clothes wasn't the only difference in the water seraph. His eyes were cold and empty, intently watching Sorey. They watched him with a blank and dark expression, Sorey instantly missing the tender lavender eyes that used to watch him. 

“He has been tainted,” Lailah noted, her heart sinking. “But why?”

A dark unfamiliar voice laughed, appearing next to Mikleo. She watched the seraph with a wide smile, admiring her work. 

“Isn't he beautiful?” Symonne taunt, turning to Sorey. “And you're to thank for this, Shepperd.”

“What? I would never do something-,” Symonne’s loud laughter interrupted Sorey, causing him to flinch. 

“All he wanted was to be by your side and support you, but instead you threw him aside and found a replacement.” The dark seraph grinned, turning her attention to Mikleo. “You're disposable to him and only caused you pain. This isn't a human, he's a monster. A monster who never loved you.”

Mikleo’s empty eyes never left Sorey, but he was a stranger to them. It wasn't his usual brunette and cheery best friend he was seeing. Instead it was a dark figure, its face contorted watching Mikleo with hungry eyes. 

Symonne could feel it, and she knew Sorey could as well. Mikleo’s malevolence was growing, consuming his soul by the second. The domain he was beginning to cast worried Lailah. Sorey was still not strong enough, causing his domain to still be weak. The dark seraph grinned her way, knowing what she was thinking, but it was too late. 

“Sore-” Lailah called out, interrupted by Mikleo’s domain expanding and winning over Sorey’s. She disappeared, along with _it_. 

Strangely, Mikleo felt a slight wave of relief when _it_ disappeared. It was only quick, disappearing, and his attention returning to the dark figure in front of him. 

To Mikleo, the figure was standing watching him hungrily, but Sorey was on the floor now. The domain was making him sick, causing him to spew his lunch. His hands clenched into fists around the Shepherd’s garb over his heaving chest. Emerald eyes lift once he heard footsteps. 

Sorey felt a wave of panic watching Mikleo slowly walk over, calling for his staff. His eyes were empty, but they still looked so beautiful. He loved Mikleo’s bright and sparkling eyes the most. The lack of life in those eyes he loved caused his heart to sink. This was his fault. He had brought him enough pain to taint him. It was his fault alone. He didn't deserve Mikleo, but he had to save him. He had to at least save him and apologize. 

“M-Mikleo,” he rasped through his dry lips. “I'm so sorry.”

No answer. The words meant nothing to Mikleo. They couldn't even register through his mind. Not that he cared. His priority was ridding the source of his pain. The monster in front of him. 

Mikleo sent a wave of attacks towards Sorey, the human jumping out of the way as fast as he could. Mercilessly, Mikleo continued to beautifully wave his staff, water rippling around him. Drops landed and settled on Mikleo’s hair, glistening with the small bit of light around them. Sorey knew this wasn't the time, bought he found himself admiring the sight in front of him. He knew Mikleo was beautiful, it was hard to ignore. 

One of Mikleo’s streams of water hit Sorey’s arm, causing him to hiss in pain and dropping his sword. 

“ _Run and grab it! _” His mind screamed, but another stream of water collided with his side, causing him to fall and roll a few feet away from where he once stood.__

__“M-Mikleo,” Sorey heaved, trying to push himself up._ _

__Mikleo watched the monster fall to the ground. Pathetic. He couldn't help but think. If he could feel anything, he would feel relieved to bring the monster down. Mikleo’s dissociation was keeping him from feeling anything. His body and mind were numb. He was unable to recall what feeling anything was like. It all seemed so unimportant to him now. Feelings, like love, didn't matter._ _

__Throwing his staff aside, he knew the monster wasn't finished yet. He would only get up again, targeting him. The only choice he had was to end him. _Pity_. _ _

__Before Sorey could react, Mikleo was over him, hands around his neck, his fingers digging deep into the skin._ _

__“Mikleo, please.” Sorey choked, his eyes focused on the latter’s empty ones. In Mikleo’s eyes, the monster was thrashing under him, growling and snapping his teeth at him. “Please listen. I'm sorry I caused you all of this pain. Those were not my intentions at all. You're not disposable to me.”_ _

__Mikleo’s hands tightened, Sorey releasing another choked sound, his sight obscured by black dots. He could feel it, though. The shaking of Mikleo’s hands, the ragged breathing. His expressions were blank, eyes empty, but his body was reacting differently._ _

__The monster was speaking of some nonsense. Most was broken up and muffled, but he was able to make out a few words. Who was this monster? What was he talking about? He pushed forward, aiming to follow the voice and understand what it was saying. Was that a good idea? He felt himself stop. The monster could be attempting to trick him. But at the same time, he was curious to know what he was saying. Last dying word?. _How pathetic_. _ _

___“Mikleo? Are you there?”_ _ _

__There was that name again. Was that him? His chest felt heavy. Why?_ _

___“I'm sorry I caused you this much pain. This isn't what I wanted.”_ _ _

__What was he talking about? Who was he?_ _

___“All I have ever wanted was to spend every day of my life with you. Exploring ruins, traveling the world, meeting new people. It’s not the same without you.”_ _ _

__His ears were ringing, body shaking._ _

___“You matter so much to me. I hate myself for not saying anything before. You're my one and only. The one I love most. I love you with every fiber of myself. Come back to me, Mikleo!”_ _ _

__Mikleo gasped, blinking until the blur in his eyes cleared. Sorey was under him, tears staining his pale cheeks, a warm smile adorning his face. Why was he?_ _

__Realization hit Mikleo. His hands released Sorey’s throat, causing the human to gasp for air. Mikleo stared at his shaking hands, processing everything. He had tried to kill Sorey. He hurt Sorey. The monster had been Sorey all along._ _

__“Mikleo,” Sorey whispered, causing the lavender eyes to return to him. Mikleo’s eyes were wide with shock and panic, but the usual color and life had finally returned to them. Sorey’s hand rest on Mikleo's cheek, stroking circled with his thumb. “You came back to me.”_ _

__Mikleo’s emotions finally hit him all at once. He choked out a sob, burying his face into Sorey’s chest, loud cries and screams escaping him._ _

__“I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!”_ _

__Sorey smiled, wrapping his arms around Mikleo and bringing him in closer. He hummed softly, his hand stroking through the white and blue locks. “Shhh that wasn't you. Besides, you came back to me. I'm so happy.”_ _

__Mikleo’s cries only increased, his clothes slowly returning to normal, the malevolence surrounding him dispersing and disappearing. They remained there for what seemed all day, but Sorey didn't care. Mikleo had come back to him._ _

__After a while, Mikleo took a deep breath, separating from Sorey, allowing the human to sit up. His hand trailed Sorey’s neck, softly stroking the bruises forming on the skin._ _

__“I'm sorry,” he whispered. His red and puffy eyes looking away._ _

__“Mikleo, that wasn't you. You don't need to apologize,” Sorey replied, his eyes scanning for Symonne, but she was nowhere to be found. Mikleo suddenly blushed, hiding his face with his hand, as if suddenly remembering something. Cute!_ _

__“U-um, you said,” Mikleo stuttered, blush deepening. “Back then, you said something. Did you mean it?”_ _

__Sorey blinked, confused, “I meant everything I said.”_ _

__A soft and adorable sound escaped Mikleo. He was in panic, lost in thought for a few minutes, before taking a deep breath and turning back to Sorey. He leaned in again, resting his forehead against Sorey’s._ _

__“That took you long enough,” he chuckled, opening his eyes to meet Sorey’s bright emerald ones. “I love you too.”_ _

__Sorey smiled, causing Mikleo’s heart to speed up, leaning down to press his lips against Sorey's._ _


End file.
